The signing of the Liptako-Gourma Charter, which establishes the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and solidifies a defense pact among Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, represents a significant step in regional security collaboration and self-reliance. While the initial focus of this alliance is on collective defense and mutual assistance, it is not implausible to consider the potential for deeper political integration, for the region and finally for Africa’s 54 independent states.
The trajectory of these Sahelian nations suggests a growing inclination toward asserting their sovereignty and shaping their political destinies. The recent military coups that have stirred them away from the pro-France political status quo and led to their expulsion from the French-aligned Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) signals their willingness to break from established regional norms.
Thus, the Liptako-Gourma Charter’s declaration that any military intervention or threat against one would be confronted as an attack on the others underscores the unity and determination of these nations to protect their interests collectively
It is a fascinating proposition within Africa’s continental cooperation psyche, considering that this defense pact is, in fact, the first of its kind outside the compromised, foreign-dependent continental organization, the AU, and its regional satellite groupings like ECOWAS, and others.
Indeed, should this defense pact successfully guarantee stability in these countries and region, it will dispel the colonial-era mindset that portrays African countries as incapable of ensuring their own security, and thus in need of foreign military occupation. It will also serve as a working model for other countries to emulate and, in that spirit, set Africa on the path toward true military independence.
Beyond that, and this, for me, is the real deal. What if this unity, which is starting from a defense pact, could pave the way for a subsequent political union, either in part or in a full-fledged manner? Imagine AES evolving from a defense pact into a political alliance. This transition, if not merely symbolic, would signify a deeper level of cooperation, one that extends to political matters, shared governance principles, and collective decision-making, laying a foundation for greater unity as they grow more interconnected.
Building upon this foundation, the AES nations set their sights on a political union, akin to a regional confederation or federation. They forge a shared constitution and governing body, marking a significant step toward deeper political integration. Economic integration emerges as member states harmonize their economies, yielding a common currency and a united economic front, which, in effect, enhances AES’s ability to compete globally. The economic incentives that come with this union subsequently strengthen their bonds and fuel the engine of progress.
As the AES continues to thrive and demonstrate the benefits of unity, its neighboring Sahel nations eventually take notice. Their skepticism over the defense pact gives way to admiration, and these nations too, join the alliance as the allure of enhanced security, political stability, and economic prosperity becomes undeniable. Gradually, AES expands its reach, incorporating additional Sahel states into its fold.
Beyond the Sahel, regions like East Africa and Central Africa, inspired by AES’s success, begin to consider similar pacts. Western-backed and dependent presidents are deposed in military coups by equally Pan-African-minded leaders like those of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. They too set out on something similar, emulating AES’s defense pact, political cooperation, and economic integration as the cornerstones of these new alliances. Africa’s mosaic of regional alliances begins to take shape, each working toward greater unity within its borders.
Eventually, with truly independent and self-reliant regional alliances, unlike the ones we have now, which are funded by the West and, therefore, subservient to them, the continent achieves a new pan-African entity. Africa Unites: One ARMY, One Currency. One Foreign Policy.
